Projection screen apparatus

ABSTRACT

This invention is a projection screen apparatus basically comprising a telescoping adjustable mast, and a bracket arrangement for adjustably securing the screen to the mast. Vertical adjustment of the screen in provided by divergent support arms attached at their upper ends to a clamp slidable on the mast and pivotally attached at their lower ends to the screen. Adjustment of the tilted position of the screen is provided either by a wire means or additional support arms slidably clamped to the mast and pivotally attached to the screen.

United States Patent Patented July 13. 1971 [$4] PROJECTION SCREEN APPARATUS 6 Claims. 10 Drawing Ftp.

[52] US. Cl. 248/480. 248/!25. 248/406. 248/413. 248/486 [51] Ill."- ....G03b 21/56 Fieldolsearcll 248/480.

486. [25. IN. 4l3. 354. 354 S. 354 P. 295. 279. 356. 351.284.2863! I186. 107. 176; l/24.

|.398.909 "921 North r. l60/3Sl 2.229.472 l/l94l Raven H loo/266 3.lll.723 "/1963 Bates 248/295 X 3.l66.| l5 "I965 Ricdel 248/ X 3.220.464 ll/l965 Wise /24 FOREIGN PATENTS 6,502,809 9/l966 Netherlands 248/354 Primary Examiner-Roy D. Frazier Assistant Examiner Frank Dornotor ABSTRACT: This invention is a projection screen apparatus basically comprising a telescoping adjustable ma t. and a bracket arrangement for adjustably securing the screen to the mast. Vertical adjustment of the screen in provided by divergent support amts attached at their upper ends to a clamp slidabte on the mast and pivotally attached at their lower ends to the screen. Adjustment of the tilted position of the screen is provided either by a wire means or additional support arms alidably clamped to the mast and pivotally attached to the I-CTCCU.

PATENTED JUL 1 3197:

SHEET 1 OF 2 Fig. 5

mvElvron LOUIS DANIEL MURRAY PATENTED JUL13I9T| T-fi, 59? 43/;

SHEU 2 BF 2 INVENTOR LOUIS DANIEL MURRAY PROJECTION SCREEN APPARATUS This invention relates to projection screen supports and more particularly to adjustable projection screen supports mounted from a single mast.

It is an object of this invention to provide a projection screen support of the type stated which is particularly adapted to installation between a horizontal surface such as a window sill and the ceiling of a classroom with simple hand tools, requiring no drilling, nailing or other defacing of the room interior, and in which provision is made for convenient adjustment of the screen itself from a vertically flat position to a tilted position as required.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a projection screen support of the type and for the purpose stated which is simple to install and operate, which is easily dismounted, and which is economical to produce. Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following disclosures.

In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a projection screen support embodying my invention, showing the screen in the vertically flat position;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view, with the screen in the tilted position;

FIG. 3 is a perspective fragmentary view showing the screen in the tilted position from the backside, and showing the triangular support member, mounting hinges, support wire and other parts of the construction;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the mast assembly showing the protective ceiling cup and other details;

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the wall bumper;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of a modified form of projection screen support embodying my invention, showing the screen in the vertically flat position;

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the modified screen support with the screen in the tilted position;

FIG. 8 is a vertical sectional view of the adjustable mast of the modified screen support;

FIG. 9 is a perspective fragmentary view of the modified screen support with the screen in the tilted position, shown from the backside; and

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary top plan view of the modified screen support showing the adjustable fastening assembly connecting the upper support arms to the mast section.

The projection screen support A has as its primary support element an adjustable mast assembly 10, comprising a lower tubular section 11a, a telescoping upper tubular section llb, a connector sleeve 12, an upper connector sleeve 13, a protective ceiling cup 14, a lower sleeve 15, a bolt 16, a washer 17, a nut 18, and a flexible cushion 19 into which the lower end of the bolt 16 is recessed, all as best seen in FIGS. 4 and 8 of the drawings.

The washer 17 is secured in place at the bottom edge of the section 11a by the crimped end 15a of the sleeve 15. The round head 16a of the bolt 16 is slidably retained inside the lower end of section lla, while its shank is slidably retained by the hole in the washer 17, thereby maintaining the bolt 16 in axial alignment with the section 110. The nut 18 is fitted upon the shank of the bolt 16 below the washer 17 and above the cushion 19.

The connector 12 is provided with an upper setscrew 12a and a lower setscrew 12b, the latter of which is tightened against the upper end of section 110. In mounting the mast assembly 10, the upper setscrew 12a is left loose as the cushion i9 is placed on the horizontal mounting surface 31, such as a window sill, and the upper section llb is adjusted until the ceiling cup 14 fits against the ceiling 32, all as best seen in FIGS. 1, 2, 6 and 7. The screw 12a is then tightened on section 11b and next the nut 18 is tightened on the bolt 16 by pliars or wrench, elevating the sections Ho and llb until the desired amount of compression between mounting surface and ceiling is obtained. Such installation is easy to make and provides considerable improvement over similar devices in that a highly stable installation is achieved without drilling, nailing or other defacing of the room interior.

A triangular screen support 20 is provided, preferably of metal conduit or the like, and its upper-arms 21 and 22 are flattened at their respective ends 210 and 22a so they overlap, as seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. A rivet 25 or the like fastens the overlapped arm ends 210 and 22a to an adjustable clamp 24, which clamps around lower section and is provided with a wingnut assembly 240. The triangular support 20 is attached to the screen 30 by two hinges 33, 34 preferably comprising flat flexible plastic rectangles, attached along their lower sides to the lower backside of the screen 30 and equally spaced from its corners, and along their upper sides to the front face of the horizontal section 23 of support 20, all as best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3.

Two cylindrical wall bumpers 35, 36 are provided along the backside of the section 23 and each is comprised of a rubber sleeve 35a fitted over a screw 35b so that the end of screw 3 is left uncovered for screwing into the section 23 at right an,- gles to it, and, at the other end, the sleeve 35a extends past the head of screw 35b to provide a well for flexible filler cement 35c applied after attachment of the bumpers 35, 36 to section 23, all as best seen in FIGS. 3 and 5.

The ceiling cup 14 is comprised of a rubber suction cup 144 whose shank 14b telescopes into the sleeve 13, and a circulan ceiling protector 14c of carpet, felt or the like, preferably at tached by glue in the center of the mating surface of cup 14a, thus allowing for independent deformation of the two as the cup 14 is flattened against the ceiling during installation.

A wire loop 37 is provided at the upper end of mast assembly 10 and is attached by passing its upper and lower ends 370 and 37b respectively through predrilled holes in the sleeve 13 and bottom shank portion 14b of the suction cup 14a, and section llb, and they are then flared or bent to secure loop 30 in place, all as best seen in FIG. 4.

An eyelet 38 is provided in the center of the upper backside of the screen 30, a second eyelet 40 is provided in the center of the upper side of horizontal section 23 of the triangular support 20, and a cleat 41 is attached to the back of screen 30 along its lower backside, clear of the support 20, or optionally mounted on the upper face of one of the support arms 2!, 22. A support wire 39 is provided, with one end fastened to the eyelet 38 and the other passed through the loop 37, the eyelet 40 and finally secured by several turns about the cleat 41, as best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, showing the tilted position of the screen 30.

The wingnut 24a is adjusted loose enough to permit the clamp 24 to slide up and down on section llb during changes in position of the screen but tight enough to prevent passing over either the connector 12 or sleeve 15, which act as stopsfor vertical movement of the clamp 24. If a lower, flatter position of the screen 30 is desired, as shown in FIG. 1, the operator simply grasps the lower edge of the screen 30 and pulls this down, if necessary loosening the wire 39 from the cleat 41 and retightening it when the desired position is reached.

1 may also provide a modified projection screen support apparatus A, as best seen in FIGS. 6, 7 and 9, in which two lower tubular support arms 51 and 52 are provided, with their upper ends respectively flattened and fastened together by the rivet 25 to the clamp 24, and with their lower ends bent so they are parallel to each other. Two upper tubular support arms 53, 54 are also provided, which are symmetric and; coplanar, with their upper ends 53a and 54a as well as their lower ends respectively bent so as to be parallel to each other. Mounted on the section llb, a clamp 55 is provided with a bolt 56 pivotally fastening together, respectively, a lockwasher 560, the upper arm end 53a, a lockwasher 56b, a washer 56c, the clamp 55, a washer 56, a lockwasher 56, the upper arm end 54a, a lockwasher 56], and a wingnut 57, all as best seen in FIGS. 7, 9 and 10.

A rectangular frame 50 is provided, attached to the backside of a projection screen 30, the lower ends of the upper arms 53, 54 are pivotally attached to the inside faces of the vertical sides of the frame 30 approximately equidistant from its bottom and top by the axially aligned bolts 58 and nuts 59, one pair for each arm end. Similarly the lower ends of the lower arms 51, 52 are pivotally attached to the vertical sides of the frame 30 approximately 1-2 inches above its inside bottom surface by a lower pair of bolts 58 and their matching nuts 59, all as best seen in FIG. 9.

With the screen 30 in the vertically flat position as shown in FIG. 6 the nut 24a is tightened sufl'iciently to prevent slippage of the clamp 24 along the mast section llb during subsequent tilting adjustment of the screen 30, while the nut 57 is tightened enough to prevent slippage due to gravitational force but loose enough to permit slippage along the section llb during tilting of the screen 30 about the axis of the lower pair of bolts 58, which is accomplished by the operator grasping its vertical edges and pulling it forward into the position shown in FIG. 7, or some intermediate position.

The mast assembly 60 of the modified screen apparatus A is identical to the assembly 10 of the screen support A, except no wire loop is provided, and a rubber tube section 61 is annu-- larly provided between the upper connector 13 and the section [In to provide for a convenient friction-fit of these members without use of other fasteners.

The length of the mast sections 110 and 11b may be increased to permit installation between floor and ceiling in situations where this is desired, and other changes and modifications in the form, construction, arrangement and combination of the several parts of this apparatus may be made and substituted for those shown and described herein without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what 1 claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. in a projection screen apparatus, a telescoping adjustable mast assembly comprising a lower tubular section, an upper tubular section telescoping into said lower tubular section, a setscrew for locking said upper tubular section in place, a protective ceiling cup provided at the upper end of said upper tubular section, the said lower tubular section having a substantially closed lower end with a central aperture, a bolt, whose head fits and is slidably disposed in the inside of said lower tubular section, with the shank of said bolt slidably disposed in said aperture, thereby maintaining said bolt in axial alignment with said lower tubular section, a flexible cushion fitted onto the other end of said bolt, and a nut fitted on said bolt between the closed end of said lower tubular section and said cushion, and a pair of screen support arms joined together at their upper ends by a bolt or the like to a clamp which is slidably mounted on said lower tubular mast section, the lower ends of said support arms diverging and providing substantially separated points of contact with and for attachment to the lower portion of a projection screen, wherein said clamp is fitted on said mast section tightly enough to maintain its position while in use but loosely enough to permit the operator to raise or lower its position by a corresponding movement of the lower portion of the said screen.

2. The device of claim I wherein two additional symmetric upper screen support arms are provided with their upper ends parallel to each other and pivotally joined to an upper clamp, said upper clamp also being slidably mounted on said lower mast section with just enough pressure to permit raising or lowering its position by corresponding pressure on the middle section of said screen, the middle sections of said upper arms diverging to the lower ends, which are bent so as to be parallel each other and are provided with holes for mounting these ends to the middle section of said screen.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said first clamp is provided with adjustable tightening means for tightening this said clamp upon said mast section to effectively prevent vertical adjustment of the screen until it is untightened.

4. The device of claim 1 in which said protective ceiling cup comprises a rubber suction cup and a cuplilte, relatively longfibered cushioning pad of carpet, said pad being centered in the upper surface of said suction cup and being fastened to it at its center. I

. The device of claim 4 wherein the lower ends of said support arms are bent so they are coplanar with the upper arm sections and are collinear with each other, and each is provided on its backside with a cylindrical wall bumper, and on its front side with a hinge for attaching to said screen.

6. The device of claim 5 in which each of said bumpers comprises a flexible sleeve fitted about a screw with the head of said screw recessed inside said flexible sleeve forming a well, aid well being filled with flexible filling compound. 

1. In a projection screen apparatus, a telescoping adjustable mast assembly comprising a lower tubular section, an upper tubular section telescoping into said lower tubular section, a setscrew for locking said upper tubular section in place, a protective ceiling cup provided at the upper end of said upper tubular section, the said lower tubuLar section having a substantially closed lower end with a central aperture, a bolt, whose head fits and is slidably disposed in the inside of said lower tubular section, with the shank of said bolt slidably disposed in said aperture, thereby maintaining said bolt in axial alignment with said lower tubular section, a flexible cushion fitted onto the other end of said bolt, and a nut fitted on said bolt between the closed end of said lower tubular section and said cushion, and a pair of screen support arms joined together at their upper ends by a bolt or the like to a clamp which is slidably mounted on said lower tubular mast section, the lower ends of said support arms diverging and providing substantially separated points of contact with and for attachment to the lower portion of a projection screen, wherein said clamp is fitted on said mast section tightly enough to maintain its position while in use but loosely enough to permit the operator to raise or lower its position by a corresponding movement of the lower portion of the said screen.
 2. The device of claim 1 wherein two additional symmetric upper screen support arms are provided with their upper ends parallel to each other and pivotally joined to an upper clamp, said upper clamp also being slidably mounted on said lower mast section with just enough pressure to permit raising or lowering its position by corresponding pressure on the middle section of said screen, the middle sections of said upper arms diverging to the lower ends, which are bent so as to be parallel each other and are provided with holes for mounting these ends to the middle section of said screen.
 3. The device of claim 2 wherein said first clamp is provided with adjustable tightening means for tightening this said clamp upon said mast section to effectively prevent vertical adjustment of the screen until it is untightened.
 4. The device of claim 1 in which said protective ceiling cup comprises a rubber suction cup and a cuplike, relatively long-fibered cushioning pad of carpet, said pad being centered in the upper surface of said suction cup and being fastened to it at its center.
 5. The device of claim 4 wherein the lower ends of said support arms are bent so they are coplanar with the upper arm sections and are collinear with each other, and each is provided on its backside with a cylindrical wall bumper, and on its front side with a hinge for attaching to said screen.
 6. The device of claim 5 in which each of said bumpers comprises a flexible sleeve fitted about a screw with the head of said screw recessed inside said flexible sleeve forming a well, aid well being filled with flexible filling compound. 